Samara O'Shea's Comments
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Aug 1, 2008 | comments: 26
Samara O'Shea Aug 1, 2008, 11:12am EDT
Hi Janet and Gatherers ~ Thanks for making mention of my baby (book). Aunt Boni makes a great point when she says, "There's no time like the present." Don't spend too much time lamenting the fact that you didn't keep a journal and just start keeping one.

I know it's harder than it sounds--as Delores says. Here's how I got over the roadblock of keeping a journal: I stopped getting mad at myself if I didn't write in it. If a day or a week or a month goes by and I don't write, I don't throw my hands up in the air and say, "I give up!" I just pick it up again. I also don't feel the need to explain what happened during all those days when I wasn't writing (that's a daunting task). I just start at that moment in time and write whatever feels right.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:59pm EDT
Thank you for having me Gatherers! I will virtually see you all again soon.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:58pm EDT
My problem isn't handwriting, but my grammar and spelling is terrible. I take comfort in knowing that Louisa May Alcott (author of Little Women) was also a bad speller.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:55pm EDT
That's a good idea Liz. I know many people who've had great success with online journals. I'm a pen and paper kinda gal, so I'll stick with spending too much money on leather bound journals =)

Greg, there are people who read handwriting for a living. Someone will decode yours!
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:53pm EDT
Ha! I hope it withstands the test of time. Many journals do, so I have high hopes.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:50pm EDT
You'll have to let me know what you think Kimberly--should you get your wish =)
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:48pm EDT
Does anyone have future plans for their journal? Burning it before it falls into wayward hands or burying it in the backyard. . .? Mine will sit neatly on my shelf until I leave this world, I imagine.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:44pm EDT
That's so cool Greg. Aside from "The Therapy Factor," a journal works in the way of "The Legacy Factor." They offer us incredible insight into our ancestors and their daily lives. I hope my journal offers the same to my descendants.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:42pm EDT
Thank you for joining us j - Frugal Mom - r ~ When I don't have my note book with me, ideas for my novel get written in my daytimer. I'm running out of room! I need the New Year now (but not really).
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:40pm EDT
Your great-grandmother's notations on the Bible. Wow! I bet any preacher would love to get his (or her) hands on that.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:38pm EDT
That is incredible Stefanie. What a treasure!
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:37pm EDT
I did Stefanie. I included the journal entries of Anne Frank, Sylvia Plath, John Wilkes Booth, Lewis Carroll and Louisa May Alcott (to name a few) in the book. It's important for me to demonstrate that the human emotional expereince is very much the same in different times and places. Although each of these diarists are writing in very different times and very different places I can see small traces of myself in each of them (maybe not Booth =). It's pretty remarkable.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:33pm EDT
Good question Kimberly! For me the transformation doesn't take place as I'm writing (at least not knowingly), but rather later when I re-read. That's when I notice the emotional progress that has taken place.

One thing I find fascinating is I'll have a sentence in mind and when I move to write a completely different sentences appears. It's strange and wonderful!
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:31pm EDT
Hi Liz, writing in a journal has certainly helped me experiment with different genres. Sometimes I write my journal in the first person and other times in the third. I write to myself and others. I try to view the world from different angles.

In a way my book is an autobiography. I include many of my own journal entries, and I tell the stories around them. So if you plan to write your memoirs someday make it a little easier on yourself and keep a journal!
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:28pm EDT
I do share my journal. I share it with my sister, and I share it with those who read my book. To me privacy is trivial because we can all identify with each other on private matters. I do understand though why someone would want to keep their journal private.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:25pm EDT
I've got a journal that sits on my nightstand for the longer entries and a small notebook that I carry in my purse. It serves as a place where I write To-Do Lists and short journal entries or ideas before they get away.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:24pm EDT
I love the idea of sketching Greg, alas I haven't the knack for it, but I do exactly what you just called "drawing word sketches." I have paper on me at all times and I'll write one or two sentence descriptions (sometimes more) of people, places, sounds, and smells all the time.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:20pm EDT
April had a good question. Does anyone draw in their journal? I do not. I have no artistic talent. I paint with words, but I admire those who can draw.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:17pm EDT
I'd like to make mention of Janet's comment above. I think writing six things you're grateful for everyday is a fantastic practice. I might just take that one up! Thanks for sharing.
Jul 29, 2008 | comments: 96
Samara O'Shea Jul 30, 2008, 7:16pm EDT
Kathryn, I think that certainly counts. If you gathered all of your online writings then you would certainly have a body of work that tells your story--just like a journal.
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Samara O'Shea
Philadelphia, PA

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